Judge Dismisses Case Against Townsend Gang Injunction Activist
Updated: Aug 31, 2020
A five-year nightmare ended for Vanessa Cerda earlier this month when a judge dismissed a longstanding criminal case against her. The 28-year-old Santa Ana woman faced 12 years maximum prison time for multiple drug and weapon possession charges, all allegedly for the benefit of a street gang. But deputy public defender Adam Vining asked Orange County Superior Court Judge Linda S. Marks on August 2 to exclude all evidence on the grounds Santa Ana gang unit officers illegally obtained it. Judge Marks granted the request, dismissing the case against Cerda shortly after, much to the disgust of Deputy District Attorney David Gallivan.
Read more on my latest OC Weekly Navel Gazing Blog post:
http://www.ocweekly.com/news/santa-ana-gang-injunction-activist-relieved